The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State has alleged that the embattled Governor Olusegun Mimiko plans to organize a protest against President Muhammadu Buhari over his war against corrupt individuals and political leaders in the country.
The opposition party said on Tuesday that it uncovered such a plan when Mr. Mimiko allegedly offered some youths the sum of N3,000 to carry out the massive protest against the president before the end of the week.
Ondo State APC Publicity Secretary Omo’ba Abayomi Adesanya made the allegation in an electronic statement issued to journalists in Akure and obtained by SaharaReporters.
Mr. Adesanya claimed that the N3,000 was earmarked for each of the youths and students that would participate in the protest, noting that some thugs amongst them would stage the massive anti-Buhari rally in the State capital of Akure.
The APC spokesperson further claimed that many of the youths who had already arrived in Akure for the planned protest were imported from the South-South region of the country.
“If Governor Mimiko has nothing to fear, there is no need for the planned rally against Buhari’s anti-corruption campaign.
“N3,000 each has been earmarked for the over 5,000 youths and some imported students from the South-South region that are participating in the rally.
“Intelligence reports revealed to us that the youths would be armed with dangerous weapons.
“We appeal to students and youths not to involve themselves in Mimiko’s rally against the anti-corruption crusade.
“It is unfortunate that while workers are on strike for their unpaid 6 months’ salaries, Mimiko is planning to spend tax payers’ money on an illegal rally,” Mr. Adesanya added in the party’s allegation.
The opposition party said that Mr. Mimiko is jittery due to the actions of the president in prosecuting crooked individuals, mostly in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), with his war against corruption.
“We know that Governor Mimiko is scared since his colleague in Ekiti State [Governor Ayodele Fayose] has been alleged to have links with DasukiGate.
“Maybe the governor has some questions to answer in the ongoing investigations into the $2.1 billion arms deal [DasukiGate] among the anti-corruption war going on in the country.”
The statement tasked the security agencies in the State to be alert of the alleged unwholesome activities of the governor, especially his recruitment of potentially dangerous youths for the rally.
SaharaReporters later contacted a prominent student leader in the State following the allegation, and he confirmed that the governor was calling a meeting of the youths and students.
“Yes, some youths are planning to meet with the governor because they called many of them from outside the State. Although, I was also called for the meeting but I am not interested and not attending because I don’t want my name to be soiled.
“One of my colleagues told me that the governor and some of his Special Advisers are offering them a big task but I don’t understand clearly what he meant by that.
“I think one of them [students] is contesting for a position in the coming National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) election and he wants the support of the governor in terms of finance.
“So they have to negotiate with Mr. Governor by doing his bidding or lose his support, but I will feed you back when the coast is clear,” he said in a telephone chat with our correspondent.